SINGAPORE: An Australian family's planned month-long holiday in Greece got grounded after their disabled daughter was not allowed to board a Tiger Airways flight.
The incident, which drew coverage in the Australian media and has prompted an apology from Tiger Airways chief executive Tony Davis, took place on Saturday, as the family was about to board the flight from Darwin to Singapore.

Mr Charlie Maillis, brother of the wheelchair-bound Anastasia, told Today that his parents, Sawas and Irini, together with another sister, Artemis, were boarding a Tiger Airways flight with their disabled sister, en route to Greece.

But after checking in their luggage, the 24-year-old Anastasia was told at the boarding gate that she could not join the rest of her family on the flight - even when they produced a letter from their travel agent that the family had received special permission from Tiger Airways for Anastasia to board the same flight.

Charlie and his sister Artemis, however, refused to go into the specific details of the incident as the family is scheduled to meet representatives of the airline later today.

"It is not convenient for us to discuss the case … They are a big company and there are a lot of things involved," Artemis told TODAY.

Charlie added: "We have spent quite a lot of money on the trip … All my family wants now is to go on holiday."

According to Australian reports, the Maillis family have spent a total of $15,000 on accommodations, transfers and air tickets for their trip.

Artemis had earlier told the Australian newspaper - Northern Territory News - that airport staff made the family demonstrate that Anastasia could walk in front of all the passengers.

"The man then asked what was wrong with my sister ... They treated us like garbage, like we were clowns," she said. Anastasia had been crying all weekend, she added. "Just because she can't talk, doesn't mean she doesn't understand."

In a statement on Monday, Tiger Airways chief executive officer Tony Davis said that the airline is investigating the incident and is in discussion with the Maillis family about completing their planned journey.

"It is regretful that their holiday plans have been disrupted in this way and I have apologised to the family for the inconvenience they experienced," he said.

He added that his airline does not discriminate against physically challenged persons. Like other budget airlines, he said, they differentiate between physically challenged and incapacitated.

They are not "under any circumstances to accept passengers for travel who require stretchers, who cannot sit in the aircraft seat or who are using medical equipment such as drips or dialysis machines", he said.

They do not provide wheelchairs, but if a passenger provides his or her own wheelchair, the airline will carry it on the aircraft free of charge. The airline's handling agents at airports usually can provide wheelchairs for a small fee. - TODAY